🧠 Weekly Amazon Seller Playbook

Hi there, seller pro! We’ve rounded up the most useful and immediately actionable insights for Amazon sellers across 8 core categories this week. From keeping your account healthy to optimizing PPC, sourcing smarter, and scaling your brand beyond Amazon—this is your full-stack guide.

🔐 Account Health, Compliance & Brand Registry

Amazon only allows multiple seller accounts per household if each sells different products in different categories. Overlap risks suspension.Sometimes accounts are deactivated without clear dashboard warnings—check your deactivation email closely.Amazon rejects Brand Registry applications with CG images or packaging without permanent branding. Use real product photos.Even with invoices and authorization letters, brand approval can be denied if your agreement doesn’t permit Amazon sales.Use tools like ChatGPT to identify keyword/image issues in flagged listings.Listing or ad blocks often stem from compliance issues in either copy or visuals.New sellers should expect category/brand restrictions—start where you're auto-approved and work toward ungating.

📦 Order Issues, Claims & Refunds

SAFE-T claims are increasingly denied—even with evidence—especially for partial shipments.You can lose A-to-Z claims despite using Buy Shipping if the first scan occurs after the ship-by date.For high-value orders, always use Buy Shipping—proof from other carriers may be rejected.Amazon may issue full refunds for the entire order even when only one item is claimed missing.If a customer claims double billing, direct them to Amazon CS—billing is out of seller control.FBA refunds can occur over a year later due to recalls—stay updated and adjust cash reserves accordingly.

🛒 Sourcing, Inventory & Replen Strategy

Focus on replenishable products you can consistently restock—not one-off clearance finds.Avoid building your entire model on garage sales or thrift sourcing—it lacks scalability.Master one sourcing method (RA, OA, wholesale) before expanding.Source products in categories you understand—it improves speed and accuracy.Track old unviable ASINs—replen alerts help you capitalize on changing conditions.If competitors tank the price on a replen, check stock levels before joining a race to the bottom.Now’s a strategic time to import from China after tariff drops from 145% to 30%.Respond quickly to external changes like tariffs or Amazon policy updates to maintain your edge.Use sales rank, price history, and competition data—don’t guess when sourcing.Every product launch should align with long-term goals—not just short-term tests.

⚠️ Retail Arbitrage & Authenticity Risk

Amazon doesn’t accept retail receipts (e.g., Walmart) for authenticity or ungating—you’ll need invoices.Retail arbitrage is legal but high-risk—be ready to provide LOAs and wholesale paperwork if challenged.

🚚 Fulfillment, Shipping & Inventory

Use FBA to offload logistics and scale faster.Label your own units to avoid $0.55 per-unit labeling fees.Ship to multiple fulfillment centers to avoid distribution fees.Always double-check your ship-from address to avoid rejections.Set a future release date when shipping to FBA to prep listings before launch.Use thermal printers for FBA labels—more efficient and cheaper long-term.Send only 30–60 days of inventory to FBA to avoid long-term storage fees.When using FBM backups, don’t reuse SKUs—unique SKUs prevent listing errors.

💰 Profitability, Pricing & Cost Control

Always include Amazon fees, shipping, labeling, and prep when calculating margin (aim for 30%+).Apparel returns can destroy margins. Plan for them in your pricing and reduce with better size charts and reviews.

💡 Advertising & Listing Optimization

Spend 60–70% of ad budget on Sponsored Products, 20% on Sponsored Brand (especially video), and 10–20% on Display.Use dynamic bids down only for auto campaigns. Set higher bids for close match.Don’t negate keywords until you have data. Then remove underperformers only.Sponsored Brand video ads convert best—use UGC if you don’t have a professional video.Target higher-priced competitor listings in ads for better conversions.Set ad budgets based on target TACOS (8–12%).Resolve listing/ad restrictions fast—early sales momentum is everything.

🌐 DTC, Multi-Channel & Brand Building (Skincare/Fashion Focus)

Multi-channel > single channel: use SEO, email (Klaviyo or Shopify Email), Meta + Google Ads, and social.First prioritize site conversion rate, trust (social proof), and high-converting LPs.Meta often outperforms Google for beauty brands—track carefully.Shopify Email is free and effective for small brands; Klaviyo adds cost early.Focus on micro-UGC creators (<10k followers) vs. large influencer campaigns early on.A/B test your social hooks and headlines—not just email subject lines.Reddit is underrated for niche brands—repurpose comments for content.TikTok Shop = powerful free traffic. Organic, UGC > viral gamble.In-person sampling (pop-ups, craft shows) drives real-world trust and conversion.Loyalty programs and complex influencer workflows usually underperform early on.Know that using 3rd party marketplaces can cost you customer data access.If trying Amazon, beware of fees and PPC costs—DTC-first is often smarter.For fashion dropshipping, free shipping lifts conversion.Weak branding = weak conversion. Invest early in visual identity and site.

🛠️ Process & Tooling

Simplify operations before layering in new tools.Tools like Seller 365 or Inventory Lab are great for pricing, inventory, and reporting—especially if you’re new.

We’re also building a GPT chatbot trained on 10,000+ seller tips. Subscribers get early access. 🚀